Abstract

Background

The study’s objective was to investigate the dietary correlates of an at-risk body
mass index (BMI) among Inuit adults from thirty-six communities across the Canadian
Arctic using data from the cross-sectional International Polar Year Inuit Health Survey,
conducted in 2007–2008.

Methods

The survey included assessments of 24-hr dietary recall, sociodemographics, physical
activity, and anthropometry. Dietary characteristics of overweight and obesity were
similar and therefore combined into one at- risk BMI category (≥25 kg/m2) for analyses.
The relationship between an at-risk BMI and energy intake from macronutrients, high
sugar drinks, high-fat foods, saturated fatty acids, and traditional foods were examined
entering each dietary variable separately into a logistic regression model as an independent
variable. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, region, kcalories, walking, smoking
and alcohol consumption. Further multivariable models considered selected dietary
variables together in one model.

Results

An at-risk BMI was present for 64% with a prevalence of overweight and obesity of
28% and 36%, respectively. Consumption of high-sugar drinks (>15.5% E) was significantly
related with having an at-risk BMI (OR = 1.6; 95% CI 1.2; 2.2), whereas the % E from
total carbohydrate evaluated as a continuous variable and as quartiles was inversely
related to an at-risk BMI (P -trend < 0.05) in multivariable analyses. While % E from high-fat foods was positively
related to an at-risk BMI, the findings were not significant in a model controlling
for high-sugar drinks and % E from carbohydrates.

Conclusions

The prevalence of overweight and obesity is of public health concern among Inuit.
The current findings highlight the obesogenic potential of high-sugar drink consumption
in an ethnically distinct population undergoing rapid cultural changes and raises
concerns regarding carbohydrate restricted diets. Health promotion programs aimed
at preventing the development of an unhealthy body weight should focus on physical
activity and the promotion of healthy diets with reduced intake of sugar drinks.